Screens in schools: 85% of Long Islanders favor limits, new poll shows

A majority of Long Islanders would embrace state leaders' efforts to curb screen time in schools, according to a Newsday/Siena University poll, highlighting widespread concerns about the role digital technology should play in education.

The poll found 85% of likely voters on Long Island would support a push to limit classroom time spent on digital devices, especially for younger children. The sentiment was widely felt across party lines, with 87% of Democrats and Republicans and 81% of independent or unaffiliated voters supporting such efforts.

The poll was conducted by the Siena Research Institute between Sept. 11 and 17 among 411 registered voters on Long Island. The margin of error was +/-5.7 percentage points , meaning answers may vary by that amount.

Don Levy, director of the Siena Research Institute, said the poll shows Long Islanders favor children using less technology in schools. 

"Overwhelmingly Long Islanders support the idea to do something — to control, to restrict, to find a way to lessen the amount of screen time that students are engaged in," Levy said, adding  sentiment could change depending on what specific measures are rolled out.

Heather Busch, 51, of Babylon, is a mother of four and a high school teacher who favors more guidance regarding technology use but is also concerned about government overreach.

“Anybody who studies education should know that screen time is not how you get kids to remember or retain information, especially at a young age,” said Busch, an unaffiliated voter who participated in the poll. She said she does not use online learning platforms to teach and requires students to submit work the old-fashioned way.

“They can't be not knowing how to use these things as they head to college, but they also need to be able to read a book and answer questions on a piece of paper,” Busch added.

The debate over technology’s expanding use in the classroom has prompted reaction from a range of voices, including state officials and national and state organizations. In New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul has signaled interest in reviewing screen time for younger children.

The federal Education Department has also weighed in, arguing the focus should not be on limiting screen time but rather on whether technology being used in the classroom was meaningfully helping students and teachers.

Many school districts across the country are reevaluating their technology policies. New York City recently issued one of the nation's strongest measures, implementing screen time restrictions for students in eighth grade and below. The city also called for a one-year pause on content-creating generative artificial intelligence for these young learners.

'Finding a balance'

Since the pandemic, many digital tools, from devices to online platforms such as Google Classroom, have become a standard part of instruction. While the research is mixed, a growing body of studies shows that traditional pen and paper learning has some advantages over screens.

Kenneth Bossert, president of New York State Council of School Superintendents, said he was not surprised by a general unease regarding technology.

“I think that when we look at some of the negative effects of social media and other platforms, we have seen deterioration in overall student mental wellness and health. So, I think screen time and some of the addictive properties of screen time are a genuine concern shared by all,” Bossert said.

But he said there was a misconception among parents regarding how digital devices are used in the classroom and educators across the Island are “very cognizant of finding a balance between screens and devices and technology, and using traditional time-proven, effective classroom pedagogy.”

He said the Great Neck school district, which he leads, created an AI task force last school year and has created guides for teachers. He said physical book reading continues to be a priority.

Other districts have also weighed in. Manhasset issued a release in August stating it was shifting “from passive digital distractions — such as casual games during recess or reading periods — in favor of high-value instructional technology."

Southampton Superintendent Fatima Morrell told families in a Sept. 3 letter the elementary school was “taking a thoughtful and intentional approach to the use of one-to-one devices." Students in pre-k would not have access to one-to-one devices, but students in kindergarten and first grade would use them for assessments three times per year, she wrote. The focus would remain on physical books, handwriting and play, she added.  

Handwriting, reading benefits

Some research has found handwriting engages multiple brain networks involved in learning and memory. Writing by hand is a slower process that involves deeper comprehension than typing, some reports show. Other studies suggest reading physical books can help develop a more thorough understanding of the material.

One of the most prominent voices calling for caps on technology has been the American Federation of Teachers, the nation’s second largest teachers union. It has called for a screen ban for students through second grade. The New York State United Teachers union has also said there should be no use of one-to-one devices for children in prekindergarten through second grade.

“I'm all for appropriate controls on the amount of mostly what I consider a destructive force,” said William Mitch Jr., 73, of Setauket, an unaffiliated voter who was among those polled. Mitch noted even though some digital programs could be helpful to students, the benefits are not worth the potential risks.

“There's some great apps on tablets that are good for kids. There's some vocabulary stuff that's fascinating. But I'm okay if they want to control it in the school setting,” Mitch said.

Lauren Hale, professor at the Stony Brook Medicine Program in Public Health, said the growth of AI has introduced a new wrinkle to the edtech conversation, with some raising worries that children will rely on AI chatbots and technology before developing independent critical thinking skills.

“We want to make sure that kids are able to read carefully, think critically, and work through problems on their own,” Hale said in an emailed response. 

Mubina K. Schroeder, professor and co-director of The Cognition and Learning Lab at Molloy University, which researches students’ relationship with technology including a focus on AI, believes Long Island should follow New York City by implementing more restrictions for young students. She said educators should be critically assessing digital programs, which are often heavily marketed to schools.

“Technology should do things like make a teacher's busyness go down or help teachers understand test scores, but it should not be used in a classroom to teach students, especially younger students who are vulnerable to the negative effects of screen time,” said Schroeder, who is also the founder of Mentra.Education, an edtech company geared toward teachers.

She added, “Technology shouldn't be the main course. It should be the seasoning."